Bimonthly Newsletter of the Embassy of India Moscow Compiled and Edited by Dr Rama Swami Bansal March – April 2015 Counsellor (S&T) With support from Galina N Khokhlova Editorial (P: 1) Interpreter I. Bilateral / Multilateral Cooperation (P: 2-4) II. S&T News of Russia (P: 4-8) Science & Technology Wing III. R&D Developments in Russia (P: 8-14) Embassy of India 9, Ulitsa Vorontsovo Polye Moscow - 103064 IV. Russian R&D Institute and Industry Profile (P: 14-17) Russia V. Forthcoming Workshops & Conferences in Russia (P: 17-19) Telefax 007-495-9160297 E-mail VI. Academic Programme Offers of Russian Universities (P: 19-22) [email protected] Homepage www.indianembassy.ru Science & Technology in Russia March – April 2015 Dear Reader, The months of March and April have witnessed several endeavors towards strengthening of bilateral education linkages between India and Russia. Many Russian universities including Tomsk State Polytechnic University and Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology visited India to interact with some of the leading technical education institutions of India for developing and building mutually beneficial linkages in the area of education, research and innovation. As a result, some IITs and Russian universities considered establishing mutually beneficial linkages. In all, 5 visits from India to Russia and 10 visits from Russia to India took place for R&D projects, international conferences and exploring education cooperation opportunities. Some important decisions related to S&T sector were taken in last two months by the Russian agencies. To boost further development of Russian Science Cities, Russian President Vladimir Putin made amendments in the federal laws pertaining to the status of the Science City as well as to the science and the state science and technology policy giving new mandate to these cities to make science as the basis of socio-economic development. With an aim to boost medical research Russian Government transferred management of four prominent scientific institutions from Federal Agency for Scientific Organisations (FASO) to the Russian Ministry of Health through a decree. Government has approved the plan of Innovation Development Strategy for 2015-2016. Subsequent to a recent new Russian law that gives priority status to three Far Eastern territories in Khabarovsk and Primorsky regions, Skolkovo Foundation signed an agreement with the administration of Khabarovsk Region for opening their branch in Vladivostok. During the 2nd Meeting of the BRICS Science and Technology Ministers that was held at Brasilia, Brazil, Memorandum on Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation between the Governments of Brazil, Russia India, China and South Africa was signed. The Ministers are committed to bring the Memorandum to actual implementation. The current issue of the Newsletter covers highlights of the S&T related policies, programmes and developments in Russia including announcement by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science (RMES) of general results of scientific activities in Russia in 2014; listing of two Russian universities, namely Lomonosov Moscow State University and Saint Petersburg State University in the 2015 World Reputation Rankings of the world’s best universities; unearthing of a new dinosaur species; and development of a facility for effective simulation of space conditions. This issue also gives glimpses of the latest R&D accomplishments including development of next-gen natural bio-cement to heal bone fracture, a novel energy efficient solution for microelectronics, superconductivity based electronic components for next-gen cellular communications, a new method for low-cost extraction of ultra-pure hydrogen, and of novel catalytic sorbents for water purification; proving of recombinant spidroin substrate as excellent for heart tissue engineering; revelation of secrets of DNA damage response; and prediction of new thermodynamically stable aluminum oxides. The Newsletter also introduces some research and industrial institutions of Russia and covers information on upcoming major events in Russia. We hope that this Newsletter would facilitate greater information, cooperation and identification of potential Russian partners. We welcome your suggestions to improve the impact of the Newsletter for further strengthening the Indo-Russian S&T cooperation, and also your queries on Russian S&T developments. Rama Swami Bansal 1 Science & Technology in Russia March – April 2015 I. Bilateral / Multi-lateral Cooperation education activities in five priority sectors namely, Energy Efficiency; Computer a) Skoltech Explores Cooperation Technologies and Software; Biomedical Opportunities with Higher Education Technologies; Nuclear Technologies, Space Institutions of India Technologies and also technologies cutting across these areas. The key programmes of Prof Edward Crawley, President, Skolkovo Skoltech focus on a) education at Master’s, Institute of Science and Technology doctoral and post-doctoral level, b) research (Skoltech), Moscow alongwith Prof Mikhail through setting up of Centers for Research Myagkov, Vice-President of Skoltech visited Education and Innovation in collaboration India during Apr 27-30, 2015 to interact with with national and foreign partners to address some of the leading technical education critical problems being faced by industry and institutions of India for developing and society and on c) entrepreneurship through building mutually beneficial linkages in the their in-house Centre for Entrepreneurship area of education, research and innovation and Innovation that provides education, and meet decision making authorities in the research, and administrative services government. Prof Crawley had meetings with spanning across and coupled to the degree- senior officials in IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay and granting Programmes. The medium of IISc Bangalore to explore cooperation education is English. The university already opportunities. Also, he called on Secretary has about 145 Masters Students, 60 PhD Department of Science and Technology, GOI. scholars and 57 post-doctoral scholars 20% Skoltech plans concluding collaboration of which are foreign nationals. Its faculty memoranda with Indian institutions to comprises about 54 professors 80% of which promote student and faculty exchanges. As is hired from abroad. Nine CREIs have already the first step Skoltech wishes to promote been set up that carry out research activities. student exchange for developing linkages A short brief on the University is enclosed. with Indian institutions. This would be b) Memorandum on Cooperation in followed by faculty exchanges for professors Science, Technology and Innovation to get acquainted with each other and identify between BRICS concluded mutual interests in research topics for collaborations. Skoltech plans to sponsor a set The 2nd Meeting of the Science and of informal meetings in India and Russia to Technology Ministers of the BRICS member provide an interactive platform to the Indian countries was held at Brasilia, Brazil during and Russian faculty. Mar 17-19, 2015. The Ministerial Meeting was attended by BRICS S&T Ministers from Brazil, Skoltech, established in the end of 2011 in India and South Africa and Vice Ministers partnership with MIT, is a private graduate from China and Russia. The Indian delegation university that aims at advancing education, was led by Hon’ble S&T Minister Dr Harsh scholarship and economic development in Vardhan. The associated 4th BRICS S&T Russia by educating leading graduate Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) was also held students and conducting research on the sidelines of this meeting. The SOM programmes to address key challenges in was attended by Scientists and Officials from science, technology and innovation in the the BRICS S&T Ministries and the Foreign triple helix model. It is a part of the Skolkovo Affairs Ministries. Innovation Centre that was set up in 2010 just outside Moscow under directives of the One of the major outcome of the Meeting was Russian government to promote innovation in conclusion of the BRICS MoU on Science, Russia. The university conducts research and 2 Science & Technology in Russia March – April 2015 Technology & Innovation (STI) Cooperation Lebedev Institute of Physics, Moscow that was signed on March 18, 2015. The during Mar 16 – 23, 2015 under the DST- Memorandum formerly establishes a strategic RMES Project. framework for cooperation among the BRICS member countries with overall objectives of Prof Tanushree Saha Dasgpta, SN Bose addressing common Socio-economic National Centre for Basic Sciences, challenges utilizing shared experience & Kolkata visited Moscow State University complementarities in STI within the grouping. during Mar 16 – 23, 2015 under DST- The BRICS S&T Ministers reaffirmed their RFBR Project. commitment to support collaboration in the Two scientists, namely Dr Sandeep already identified 5 thematic areas (Natural Chaudhary and Dr Pradeep Jaiswal visited disaster led by Brazil, New and Renewal the Perm State University, Perm during Energy led by China, Geospatial Technology Mar 18-31, 2015 under DST-RFBR Project and its Application for Development led by P-169. India, Water Resources led by Russia, Astronomy led by South Africa) and new Dr Tapas Baug, Postdoc Fellow, TIFR areas proposed by BRICS countries such as Mumbai visited RAS Institute of Applied creation of a BRICS Young Scientist Forum Physics, Nizhni Novogorad, Russia during and BRICS Technologies Foresight for Climate Mar 23-28,